Circuit-controlling apparatus.



APPLICATION FILED 0CT.18,1911.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

ff AZZTOH/VEVS WITNESSES {HS-ll COIEEANY, CQREOEATIGN DE NEVI YGRK.

CEEGUIT-CGNTEEOLLZNG A'EPARATUS.

Specification of Letiers .eisent.

implication filed ambs-r 18, 1911. Serial 3%.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l. FRANK W. ROLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Grange, in thecounty of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ci cuit-Contiollicg Apparatus, of which the following is a full. clear. and exact specificationi This invention'relaies to the regulation of apparatus through the instrumcni'cslity of electric circuits and. may, .therefore, be said to relate so electric regulators. it will he understood, however, that although adapted a regulate the concliiioios in an electric circuit, it may be applied to the regulation of conditions in various sysi/ems and appsraeus and those wlii .i are not electrical.

The main object of she invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which shall cerisin and positive in iis operation,

't is a further object of iiiveii iioo to provide a circuit making and breakin clevice adapted foruse such IG"l1i&i;OTS, wherein the contecis will have iimum of deterioration and See circuit will as positively opened or oosiiively closed, there heing no uncerteiniy and vibraiiozi between bhe two COl'ldlillGllS; in the contrary, after the circuit is closed it remains closed undisturbed by slight changes in the operating means or vibration of the parts, and when i has been opened it remains open regs s i dies of slight changes or vibration. There is a margin irr'boih the closure and in the break so that the uncertainty of eithercondition due totre-nsieni or insignificant variations is avoided, While wh n there is a radical denurture from desired conditions requiring an openingv or closing of the circuit, as the case may he, the circuit is ed or closed readily end. cerisi ly.

Emcillsry and other objects of the invention will seps hereinafter.

In the occo alsy-ins drawings which illustrsie. else invention, Figure 1 is a top 1 oil plan View of circuit making and breaking apparatus (certain of the parts bein omitted for the sake of clearness), the circuit comiec'tions thereto and the remainder, of the regulating epparatus being shown disgramniatically; and Fig. 2 is e side elevation of the circuit making and breaking; apparatus of Fig.- Ti the sctu'zii'zing means therefor being shown in section, the middle furnace of Well-known cons 'ruction coni prising the crucible 1 and electrodes 2 and is fed from a suitable simply circuit i and 5. 'lfithiii the crucible is a charge 6.

The electrode 2 is adjustable lengthwise in' e ii'elhkiicwn manner to secure a proper are gap. The feeding of the clecirode 2 is accomplished by means of an elecsric 1110- ior i which drives the electrode through a pinion 8 and reek This motor may he of the series direcbcurren type, ferminals of the armature being connected co bin-(lino; posts 10 and 11, While bhe terminals of the field are connected to .the binding; "posts 12 and 18. Gee of the binding posts 13 is connected to the supply terminal 5, while the other binding post 12. to which the other terminal of the motor held iSCOH- necced, is connected with the switch blade 1% of a re *ersing swiich, the other blade 15 of this sWiich being cor e'cccd 0 fihe supply wire The contacts 1.6 and 1'? of the reversing switch are connected with. one iml ofthe motor armature, while the ccnsect 18 is connected with the other terminal ofthe armatu e.

The {5W0 switch blades 14 and 15 are pivotecl iii-swing in a well-known llikUiIlQi and are i:isulaced "from each c-her eliliougzh mechzi; Ecslly connected "ccgeiher. These blade are held in open circ 'iosieion as shown by' means of springs -19. l. reversing switch is adaoied to be operated solenoids '20 and 21, having common plunger 0 ids to the blades .11 from which a rod er of the reversing switch oted. Upon energizing the solenoid 91. the plunger and the reversing swiich are to the righe, While when the solenoid 20 is energized the plunger reversing .wisch are thrown to the left.

In order "5:0 maintain the proper voltage 'scross the arc in the furnace, conductors and 24 are run from'the respecsive electrodes of the i" mice the binding poses 25 and 26 cos d mg the terminals of s reg-iilstinc e ice for ElGCLllG circuit which 'v controls e operation of the motor '7 and so ,ii of arc gap in she fan 0 which i is piv nace. This devicemay be similar to the well-known moving; coil type of voltmeter in that it may comprise a permanent magnet 27 between the poles of which is located a coil of wire 28mounted upon pivots 29 and 30. Springs 31 and 32 surround these pivots each being at one end connected to a stationary part of the apparatus and the othei' end mechanically secured to a pivot. Turning of the coil and pivots therefore is opposed by the spring; action.

Within the coil and supported in any suitable manner may be located a cylinder 33 of magnetic material.

Circuit to the terminals of the coil 28 from the binding posts and 26 is secured by means of the conductors 34 and 35, which are connected with these terminals and with the springs 31 and 32, respectively.

' Mounted upon the pivot 29 but insulated therefrom is a needle 36 swinging over a scale 3?.

The construction thus far described may he made like that of the moving coil type voltmeter above referred to. The needle 36 has a rearward extension 38.

"lwo arms 39 and 40 unite in a compass joint ll having its center in line with the pivots 29 and 80. Each of these arms may he of conducting material.

The needle 36 carries a contact 42 which is adapted to engage electrically first with the auxiliary contact 43 and subsequently with the contact s; as the needle swings to the right. The contact 43 is mounted upon an arm as pivoted upon the spindle 46 and normally pressed against the stop 47 by a spring 48 which encircles the spindle 46 and at one end is secured to a stationary part and at the other end is secured to the spindie. The stop 47 is pivoted ecccntrically so that the position of the arm may be adjusted by turning the eccentric upon its pivot. To counterbalance the moment due to gravity exerted by the arm 45 upon the spindle $6, a semicircular counter weight 49 is secured on the spindle and its center of gravity may be shifted by turning it to se cure the proper balancing of the weight of the arm 45.

The contact 44 is in the form of a screw and is, therefore, adjustable iii the post 50 which is insulated from the arm 39. From this post a conductor 51 leads to an electromagnetic device for controlling the conditions to be regulated. as will be hereinafter referred to. Also a conductor is electrically connected with the arm 39 and therefore with the auxiliary contact 43, this conductor also serving to complete the circuit of the electromagnetic device just referred to under certain conditions.

I clpon the arm 40 is mounted apparatus similar to that upon the arm 39, including a contact 53 mounted in an insulated post 54 menace from which a conductor 55 extends to an electromagneticdevice to be presently re ferred to, an auxiliary contact 55 carried upon a pivoted arm 56 spring pressed by spring 57 against a pivoted eccentric stop 58 and a counter weight 59 for the arm 56.

. A conductor 60 is in electrical connection with the arm' lO and the auxiliary contact 55, and affords a means for completing a circuit to a controlling electromagnetic device as will be shortly described. It will be apparent that as the needle 36 swings to the left it will contact first with the auxiliary contact 55 and subsequently with the contact 53. While this regulating device, which is the specific one shown in the drawings, operates according to the principles of a voltmeter in atlecting the desired regulation, it

Wlll he understood hv those skilled in the art 1 that where the conditions warrant it regulation may be accomplished according to the present invention by means of an ammeter; that is, by a device responsive to load current as distinguished from a device responsive to voltage.

As has already been set forth, when the solenoid 21 is energized the motor 7 will be connected to operatein one direction, while when the solenoid 20 is energized he motor will be connected for rotation in the opposite dircction and when neither of the sole noids is energized the circuit of th motor will be broken and it will be at a standstill.

The circuit of the solenoid 20 is controlled I by the spring contacts 6 and that of the solenoid 21 is controlled by the spring contacts 62. Normally the contacts 61 and 62 are open as shown and the solenoids deenergized. They are adapted to he closed by a oted at 65 and which comprises the cross piece 66 and the vertical piece 67. The cross piece 66 is normally held in a horizontal position as shown by means of a weight 68. To. the cross piece 66 is secured an armature 67 for the magnet 68 and an armature 69 for the magnet 70. lVhen the magnet 70 is energized, the right-hand end of the cross piece ,will be drawn down and the cont-acts 61 closed while the energization of the magnet 68 will draw down the left-hand end of the cross piece, and close the contacts 62. VJ hen neither of the magnets 68 or 7 0 is energized. the parts will occupy the position as shown in the drawing and both sets of contacts 61 and 62 will be open.

Located at the respective ends of the cross piece 66 are normally open pairs of spring w re conductor 6!? arid is therefore in electricalconnection with. the eosiliery contact 55".

.whi-le the other one of thecontects 71 is conlieoteclwith the conrluctor 55 sncl'is' therefore in electriceleonnection with the contact 53. i-llso theconrluetor 55 s connected to one terrmnel of the ma net 68. Similarly the oonzluctors 51 and 52 are respectively the contacts 2'2 one with the connectecl w li contscts d Alsothe conductor-512s magconlije'ctecl "with one' terminal of the mot le;

time those coenecterl to the coeductors 55 one" 51, are cameos 3e one terminal of the battery 6%, cer nettion :Z'rom thefcther terminal of better beans to the ree'r'werri extension 38 of the needle 36. It will now appear that if a circuit 1S ijnafie the concluctorf through the magnet l0 and 51, the parts being in the position as shown, the-right end of the cross piece 68 be drown downwardly arul will close the con: tacts 72. The arrangements being such'tli'et the closing of the contacts 72 also completes a circuit through the magnet 70, it Will be apparent that the magnet cannot be denergized by simply breaking the circuit throng the conductor 51, but the magnet will remain energized until not onlv that connection is broken but also the connection through the conductor 52 anal contacts 72' is broken. When both or these coneections have been broken, however, the magnet will be deenergizecl and the or es piece assume the position as shown in the drawings with the contacts 72 open. Inasmuch as the energization of the magnet .70 through the conductor 52 clepencls upon the closing of the contact 72, it will be apparent that the magnet cannot be so energized until after it lie-sheen initially energ zed through the conductor-5 1, but after such initial energ'zation the circuit of the magnet 70 can remain close until after that throu h the conductor 5;. has been broken. Similarly, the left-hand curl of the cross piece 6'5 cos;- trols the contacts 71 and theenergizetion or the magnet 68 is effected in a similar more ner by means of the concluctors 55, and the contacts Z1.

The arms 39 and 40 may be turnecl upon their compass joint before referreol to, to any rlesireol position. buttons or finger pieces 73 and 74 being proviclecl at the outward ends of the respective arms 39 and 40 re fecilitate their adjustment.

The operation of the apparatus may be outlined as follows: The apparatus and connections being arranged as described, the arms 393ml 40 will be adjusted to such positions respectively that contsict will he offected between the contacts 42 end 44 at a lie te iiziifisls of the 38 sec '39;

certain low limit of voltage across the are, While contact between the contacts and .42 will be effected when a certain-high limit of. voltage has been reached. Arms 39cnd to may be readily positioned by reference to the scale 37 over which the arms move, While the needle or movable Contact member 36 may serve to indicate the voltage across the are. So long as the needle remains in a central position-as shown in the drawings,

the ports of the apparatus will remain in the positions shown and the electrodes will remain stetionar n if, for any reason. 7vever, the voltage across the clectrocles should fiecrhse-tho needle 36 would. swing to the right in accordance'with well-known laws,

such as are spelled in Well-known electrical irretruments. o ries the voltage hos (lememe suiliciently, the'contect.--2 will onwith the contact 33, thereby establish- In'gjconnection from one terminal of the battery (l4 through the aieeclle, contacts 4:? anal 43 arm 4-5; arm 39'encl conductor 52' to one ofthe contacts 7% The circuit is, however, broken at this open, so that no l0 takes place. if voltage C-Olllilllll lee-tics: of the or?" ver, the rlecrwse in needle will continue to swing to the c, til seen cor 42 will be in electrical contacte. Giro-sit new be from one terniinel' of battery '84 three. the needle, someones, contact post ll, conductor we magnet *ll to the other terminal of the tery. The meg-net 2'0 is therefore one zecl 'clrews down right-hand a e of the cross piece closes the C81 Jscts T2 that not only 1S. circuit of the magnet 'ZO now maria throu the contact i les just Llescribecl, but circuit is also completed from the contact 42 through contact arm &5, arm 39, conductor 52 and contacts 79. The energizetion of the magnet 70 has alsothrown the cheecl 63 to the right, thereby closing the circuit of the solenoid 2G and shifting the reversing switch to the left. This closes tile circuit of the motor 7 with the field encl armature in such relation that the motor rotates ins direction to draw the elect? u tthe contacts 72 cores;

c e 2 outwardly and increase the arc gap. s

tinue until the circuit of magnet 1 0 broken. This circuit remains closed through the contacts 72 til after the needle has re ceded to the left for enough to break the contact between the contacts encl The magnet 70 will then be'clei 'nergizecl, the I cross piece will return to the horizontal position as'shown in the chewing, the com tects 61 will. he opened, the magnet 20 Will. be deenergizefi, the reversing switch reef come into neutral position, and the motor will stop. Similarly, if the voltage across the are should rise, the needle 36 would swing to the left, first engaging with the auxiliary contact This, however, will com Jete no circuit as the contacts 71 are llillll'. of voltage has been reached.

As the are voltage still increases, the needle will continue its swing to the left until finally electrical'cngagement is made between the contact 42 and the contact 53. Circuit will then be initially made, by means of the conductor 55, through the magnet 68. The left-hand end of the cross piece 66 will be drawn down, closingthe contacts 71 and completing the circuit of the magnet 68 by way of the conductor 60 and auxiliary contact When the left-hand end of the cross bar 66 is drawn down, the contact 62 will be closed, thereby energizing the solenoid 21, throwing the reversing switch to the right and connecting up the motor 7 so that the armature and field are connected in reverse relation to that when the reversing switch was thrown to the left. The motor will then rotate in such direction as to feed the electrode forward and decrease the voltage across the arc gap. As the voltage is thus decreased the-needle will be retractcd toward the right, contact being first broken at the contact 53. This, however, does not serve to deenergize the magnet 68 as its circuit is still maintained through the auxiliary contact 55 and the contact 71. \Vhen the needle is swung to the right far enough, however, so that the contacts 42 and 55 are disengagechthe circuit of the magnet 68 is broken, whereupon the cross piece 66 swings into horizontal position, as shown in the drawings, the contacts 62 and T1 are opened, and the motor stops.

It will be observed from the foregoing that as the movable contact member or needle,which swings in accordance with the conditions to be regulated, causes an initial closing of the circuits for either of the magnets 68 or 70 according as the high or low and thereupon sets in operation regulating apparatus which operates in a manner tending to restore the conditions to their desired state. As these conditions are restorcd,however, and the needle in response thereto recedes, circuit is not broken at the contact at which the circuit for the magnet was originally made but such circuit is continued through an auxiliary contact until the contact actuated by the movable member is at a considerable distance from the position at which the circuit is initially made. The circuit having been broken at this auxiliary the magnet are opened not again be made until the needle is moved to such position as to close contact through cuit to set the motor in operation is contact, coiiperating contacts controlled by so that circuit can messes the initial circuit making contacts, as referred to. By this arrangement, chattering of the contacts with consequent arcing and uncertainty of contact, as well as chattering of the apparatus controlled by the magnets 68 and T0, is done away with. There is a minimum of arcing at the contacts, the cirnot closed until there'has been a radical change in conditions requiring correction, and when this circuit has been made it is retained until. the conditions have been restored by a considerable amount so that only a radical departure from desired conditions will cause the regulating apparatus to again operate, slight vibrations and small and transient variations being of no effect to set the regulating apparatus in operation. F or example, when the needle 36 has moved to the right so as to establish the initial circuit through the contact 3% and the motor has been set in operation to increase the voltage in the electric furnace, such increase in voltage will cause the needle to swing to the left and if the auxiliary contact 43 were not present, as soon as the contacts had the left the contact &4, the circuit through the magnet 70 would be broken and the motor would stop. The contact 42 would then lie just clear of the contact 44 and any vibration of parts or any transient or slight decrease of voltage would bring the contacts 42 and 44 together again, thus setting the motor in operation until the contact 12 again cleared the contact is (or before the motor could beset in operation there might be temporary slight increase of voltage which would separate the contacts 42 and There would thus be uncertainty of operation of the apparatus and chattering and arcing at the contacts. With the auxiliary contact, however, the circuit of the magnet 70, after having been initially closed at the contact i4. is maintained until there has been a considerable increase in voltage and recessipn of the needle. and then, when the circuit is broken betweenthe contacts i2 and 43, the circuit is opened up at the contact 72, thereby preventing any closure oi the circuit if the contact 42, for any reason. should be moved back into engagement with the contact 43, such closure not being possible until there has been such a radical decrease in voltage that the contact 4-2 will be carried into electrical engage ment with the contact 4% so as to initially close the circuitof the magnet 70. Thus, certain and positive operation of the apparatus is secured'upon such radical changes and conditions as require correction. while chattering, arcing and uncertainty of operation are done away with.

Vhile the. invention has been iilustra'i'ed in what is considered one'of its best appli- Cfltl0I1S,.u it may have other embodiments ill) tacts for initially making said circuit.

9. The combination With,a contact member movable in opposite directions, contacts at each end of the movement of said member adapted to have a circuit closed through them by said member, the contacts operated by said, member at each end of its travel comprising a contact through Whichaa circuit is initially made and also an adniliary contact which-breaks contact subsequent to the breaking of contact at said contact for initially making the circuit, an electromagnctic device corresponding to the contacts at each end of the travel of said member, each of said devices having its circuit initially closed through the initially closing contacts at its respective end of the travel of said contact member, contacts controlled by the energization of each of said devices and controlling a circuit through the corresponding electromagnetic device and auxiliary contact.

10. The combination With a circuit for V electric current, of a contact member movable through the electro-magnetic influence of the current in said circuit, contacts successively moved into engagement by said member as it is moved in one direction and successively disengaged in inverse order as said member -is moved in the reverse di ection, and an electric circuit having electrical connections initially completing said circuit through a contact engagement subsequent to the first as said member is moved in one direction and permitting breaking of the circuit by a contact disengagement subsequent to the first as said member is moved in the opposite direction.

11. T he combination with a contact member movable in opposite directions, of an adjustable armqa contact carried by said member, a plurality of contacts carried by said arm, the contacts on said arm being succcssively brought into electrical connection with the contact on'said member by movement of said member in one direction, and an electric circuit having connections initially closing said circuit through one of the contacts on said arm and breaking the circuit through another of the contacts on said arm.

v 12. The combination with a contact member inovalilc in opposite directions, of a contact carrying arm, contacts carried by said arm and member and comprising initial closing and auxiliary contacts, the contacts on said arm andmovable member gaged by the movement of said member in being on iaaasaa one direction, and a circuit having connections initially closing the circuit through said initial contacts and breaking said circuit subsequent to the disconnection of said initial contacts, and means for adjusting the" said auxiliary contact with relation to other of said contacts,

13, The coinbinatlonlof a movable contact clement, contacts successively electrically engaged by said element by movement of said element in one direction and successively electrically disengaged by movement of said element in the opposite direction, electro-inag'netic means affected by the engagement and disengagement of said contacts, and means for causing the circuit of said electromagnetic means to be closed by electrical engagement of one of said successively engaged contacts by the movement of said contact element in one direction and to open said circuit at a difierent one of said contacts by the movement of said contact element in the opposite direction l l. T he combination of a movable contact element, a pair of contacts successively placed in electrical engagement by movement of said element in one direction, electromagnetic means the circuit of which is closed by the electrical engagement of the last contact engaged by the movement of said cont-act element in one direction, and means for causing the opening of said circuit by the disengagement ot' the last contact disengaged by movement of said con tact element in the opposite direction.

15. The combination of a movable contact element, contacts successively electrically engaged by said element by movement of said element in one direction and successively electrically disengaged by movement ol said element in the oiposite direction, electromagnetic means affected by the engagement and disengagement of said contacts, and means for causing the circuit of said electromagnetic means to be closed by electrical engagement oi one of said successively engaged contacts by tl c movement of said contact element in one direction and to open said circuit at a. different one of said contacts by the movement of said contact elenrnt in the opposite direction, said contact at which said circuit opened be ing disengaged subsetuiently to the disengagement of said contact which closed said circuit.

In testimonv whereof I aliix my signature, in presence oi two witnesses.

FRANK. W. ROLLER.

Witnesses Tnoams Howe, Gno, N. Kenn. 

